


Weekend at Chanhee's

by SEpupppupp (ForNought)



Series: morning meal association [3]
Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Cinema AU, Gen, Mentions of sexual encounters, haknyeon is a hopeless romantic, new isn't insterested
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-18 16:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13685418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForNought/pseuds/SEpupppupp
Summary: Chanhee is just trying to go about his life and mind his own business but a one night stand has come to haunt him.





	Weekend at Chanhee's

**Author's Note:**

> the next of this week's fics is a reveal of a shoddily named series which almost sounds like a bunch of 80s movies i have never seen. funnily enough the series is one that nobody will ever read if i don't hurry up and finish the yuhaxiyeon fic or the one where the olympics is used as a flimsy plot device

Chanhee doesn’t believe in things like fate. He believes in working hard for what he wants (such as being able to eat every day and to pay his half of the rent on time) and sometimes along the way there are coincidences. But coincidences aren’t fate.

Things just happen and sometimes you meet someone by accident and that is all it is. There is no need for Ju Haknyeon to be smiling so sweetly at Chanhee as they hold open the auditorium doors open for the customers as they leave at the end of their film.

Chanhee is doing what he is supposed to be and telling people to have a nice evening and that he hopes to see them again soon. Ju Haknyeon is holding open the other door and fluttering his eyelashes and dipping his chin coyly as he tries to catch Chanhee’s eye. This is a bad habit of Haknyeon’s which only worsens when Chanhee tries to avoid him. Chanhee has been doing well at avoiding Haknyeon so far and he can usually escape to hide in a stock room or talk to the managers about something very important every time he feels Haknyeon’s eyes on him so it doesn’t really matter much. It is only when Kyungwon has an emergency which involves flirting badly with her girlfriend in the cinema foyer and abandons Chanhee in his time of need that things take a turn for the worst.

He put off asking Haknyeon for help as long as possible but he couldn't find anyone else spare. He tapped Haknyeon on the shoulder and braced himself for the wide wetness of Haknyeon’s eyes before he said, “There are over a hundred people in the next screen so I need your help.”

Haknyeon tripped over himself rushing to shove all the napkins into the dispenser and fetch a bucket and a brush to help Chanhee clean up after the customers. So now Chanhee is concentrating very hard on saying polite things to the customers as they leave and ignoring Haknyeon.

When all the customers have left and Chanhee and Haknyeon are alone in the dimly lit auditorium, there isn’t much Chanhee can do to avoid hearing the very shy, “I can’t believe we met here again.”

Chanhee can believe it because they now work together, though he struggled to come to terms with it when he first walked into work and saw a boy who wouldn’t have looked nearly as familiar without the surprised glee all over his face.

Chanhee doesn’t have sex on the first date - as a principle, he is a very well principled young man so he follows his rules well - but he also doesn’t date. So when Chanhee, drunk and independent (but mostly lonely, so very lonely) went to a gaming cafe to sober up on a balmy spring evening he didn’t think it counted when he invited the boy sitting beside him to his flat. Even at the time he specified ‘boy’ because there was something very young about him as he smiled at Chanhee and told him he was pretty but he didn’t pay it much mind because he had the excuse of being drunk.

So Chanhee had very sloppy and bad sex with a boy whose hands trembled the whole time and in the morning he sneaked him past Younghoon and took him out for breakfast because there was nothing to eat at home. They parted ways in the awkward way that is proper for one night stands and they never saw each other again until Chanhee turned up at work one day to find the cinema had hired a new batch of kids that he was expected to train. It has been a month since the one night stand (two and a half weeks since Haknyeon happily announced to everyone that he knew Chanhee and this must be fate) and somehow the world is out to betray Chanhee by forcing him to spend time alone with his one night stand.

“I will move all the drinks to the ends of the aisles so you can dump them into the bucket,” Chanhee says as he opens a black bag for the rubbish.

“We haven’t had much time to talk to each other,” Haknyeon says, his fingers flexing around the handle of the bucket.

“There isn’t as much mess as I had thought there would be considering how many people were in here,” Chanhee says.

“I worried a lot about how to meet you again but I think this is our chance to do things properly. I was so nervous that I forgot to ask for your number before we parted but I really think we were meant to be together,” Haknyeon says, his voice wavering in the dull acoustics of the auditorium.

Chanhee doesn’t think he has ever hated Kyungwon more, her and her stupid flaky attitude towards work and how much more careless she becomes at the appearance of a girl who had her crying and running away mere months ago. If Kyungwon wasn’t so keen to flash her gums to a girl who proudly flipped her dark hair over her shoulder, Chanhee wouldn’t have to listen to Haknyeon talking absolute nonsense.

“We should hurry,” Chanhee says. “We don’t have much time until the next showing starts.”

“Oh,” Haknyeon says, “Will we be able to talk about this when we’re done?”

“No,” Chanhee says because there isn’t anything to talk about. He makes sure to rustle the bin bag loudly as he picks up rubbish and shoves it into the bag. He moves as quickly as possible and even manages to collect all the big bits like popcorn bags and empty cups before Haknyeon has finished pouring out all the full drinks. Chanhee sweeps up and tries to avoid all paths which lead to Haknyeon so it takes him longer than it should to sweep away the mess as Haknyeon struggles with his own dustpan and brush.

Chanhee isn't proud of the state he leaves the auditorium in but he also isn't keen on the idea of hanging around for Haknyeon to try to talk to him again. They leave in silence and when Chanhee finds Kyungwon he makes sure to pinch the skin above her elbow hard but he doesn't explain why because Haknyeon is still following him.

Haknyeon isn't a bad kid, or Chanhee hasn't seen anything to suggest that he is in the paltry time they have spent together, but Chanhee cringes as Haknyeon follows him to dispose of the full rubbish bags and asks, “Why do you hate me?”

Haknyeon looks very upset with the corners of his mouth pulling downward and his eyelashes fluttering as he blinks away the wetness of his eyes. His knuckles are white around the long handles of the dustpan and brush and Chanhee really doesn't want to see this kid cry at work.

“I don't hate you,” he says as honestly as he can. Chanhee really doesn't hate Haknyeon but the look he gets in return is disbelieving.

“Why won't you talk to me about this?” Haknyeon sniffs.

“There isn't anything to talk about, Haknyeon, I already told you.”

“There is lots to talk about,” Haknyeon says thickly.

“Please don't cry,” Chanhee says quietly. Haknyeon whimpers and fumbles with the dustpan as he swipes his hand over his face. Chanhee flinches at the loud groan that he worries has come from the machine to compact rubbish. Worse than machine failure, the sound is coming from Haknyeon.

“I just don't understand how you can treat me so coldly after we made love,” Haknyeon sobs. This is getting much worse and Chanhee thinks that maybe he could hate Haknyeon for forcing this conversation at work of all places. Nobody should disturb them at the bins but this isn't a risk that should be taken. Chanhee can already hear the disappointed flap of disciplinary papers.

“We didn't ‘make love’, Haknyeon, I don't love you.”

“But I love you!” Haknyeon wails.

“You don't love me.” Exasperation is imbued in Chanhee’s tone and even if Haknyeon is upset it would be better for him to understand the position he is putting Chanhee in with his tears.

“I do! I really do!”

“How can you possibly love me when you don't know anything about me?” Chanhee asks. Haknyeon actually stops blubbing at that and sniffs loudly as he thinks.

“My heart just _knows_ ,” Haknyeon decides tearfully.

As frustrating as this is, perhaps Haknyeon is right. Maybe a heart can know things. But Chanhee’s heart knows better and it knows that he doesn't love Haknyeon.

“I really don't want you to get upset over me,” Chanhee says as diplomatically as he can. He even reaches for Haknyeon's hand and squeezes it kindly. “I am not looking for a relationship or anything like that. Us being together was a one time thing and I honestly didn't think I would ever see you again. Seeing as we are colleagues now it would be better for you to drop this and we should try to be friends.”

Haknyeon sobs harder but he nods as he encroaches Chanhee’s personal space. This isn't something that Chanhee wants to encourage in light of the solution he just offered but he lets Haknyeon hug him and cry into his shoulder for a while. They have some minutes to spare and Chanhee doesn't think he has any more of his dignity to lose. Especially not when Kyungwon appears, rubbing her arm and whining.

“What are you doing?” Kyungwon’s voice is accusing and Chanhee absolutely does not appreciate that tone.

“He's upset,” Chanhee explains

“You upset me,” Haknyeon says sadly.

“Why did you upset him?” Kyungwon gasps.

Chanhee wants to say that it wasn’t on purpose but there was definite purpose in his need to get Haknyeon to drop things so he can’t really answer the question honestly. He makes up half an excuse about personal issues and Kyungwon should butt out if she doesn’t want Chanhee to tell on her to the managers (not her roommate but one of the other managers) about shirking work to publicly and loudly flirt with her girlfriend. It is enough to shut Kyungwon up and she slinks away sulkily.

For the rest of the shift Haknyeon follows Chanhee around and it quite useless about it. Chanhee is glad he is on a short shift and doesn’t have to bother with closing everything down and hanging around afterwards for a taxi home. He can’t even imagine how awkward things would be if at the end of the day he had to wait in the dark and the cold with Kyungwon, her roommate, and Haknyeon.

Chanhee returns to his own roommate who is slowly chewing on jam and toast while standing over the kitchen sink. Younghoon only looks a little bit guilty as he turns to face Chanhee. He points at the open loaf of bread beside him.

“Do you want some toast?”

“No. I want-” Chanhee cuts himself off. He considers the fact that Younghoon likely doesn’t want to hear his every complaint about Haknyeon bothering him at work but he remembers that he doesn’t care whether Younghoon wants to hear it or not. Chanhee spent an entire month listening to Younghoon bleating about his failed friends with benefits arrangement. Chanhee put up with that without once threatening to look for a new roommate so it is only fair that Younghoon does his duty as roommate-slash-possible-friend. “Do you remember that time when I brought that guy home?”

“The cute one?” Younghoon asks as he sets about making himself another round of toast. There was no need for such an epithet to be bestowed upon Haknyeon. He might sort of be cute but he is also an annoyance that Chanhee doesn’t need in his life of never bringing people home.

“Do you think he’s cute?”

“I know you’re only asking me this so you can tell me how wrong I am. I don’t care that this guy is some demon harassing you at work. He just likes you, Chanhee, and you did sleep with him.”

Chanhee already knows that much but he suspects that an increasing amount of his colleagues are clued into that fact too.

“Yeah, I slept with him,” Chanhee says. “But it didn’t mean anything. Did it mean anything when you slept with that… handsome guy?”

Younghoon frowns. “Yeah, that was the whole problem. It is always going to mean something when you sleep with someone.”

Chanhee doesn’t want to hear this. Younghoon is saying awful and ridiculous things which don’t make any sense. Chanhee was drunk and Haknyeon was naive enough to think it did mean something. It didn’t mean anything aside from the fact that Chanhee was tired and lonely. It wasn’t fate or destiny or anything at all cosmic.

“I need him to realise that it didn't mean anything to me,” Chanhee says as he holds his hand out for a slice of toast right before it pops out of the toaster. Younghoon frowns a little bit but he butters the slice of toast and carefully spreads jam over it before giving it up to Chanhee.

“How are you going to get him to think that way?”

Chanhee knows that what he is about to ask isn't nice at all, especially not when he is here stealing Younghoon’s food like this, but he doesn't have any other options at his disposal. All he has is the solution Kyungwon inadvertently handed to him.

“Can you come into work and pretend to be my very jealous and possessive boyfriend?”

“No I am not going to do that,” Younghoon says. “I can't lie for you like that. Besides, the kid saw me once so he knows I am not your boyfriend.”

“That was then. You could be now,” Chanhee reasons. Younghoon refuses all the same and Chanhee doesn't think it is fair that he is alone in this predicament because of an instance which is barely worth a mention. He tries not to sulk too obviously but it can’t be helped that he thinks very mean things about Younghoon while he is sleeping the next night.

Chanhee takes it all back the next day when he is allocated to make popcorn with the huge popping kettles. Usually when he is making popcorn his mind gets lost in the repetition of it all and today is no exception. Despite being in full view of the customers it is not like he spends much time paying them any attention when he must keep loading the kettles with corn, oil, and sugar and dumping out the crystalline kernels which burst into existence before they burn. That is until he glances down from the window overlooking the concessions counter at a sound that could be his name beneath the rapid popping against stainless steel to see Changmin, one of the new kids who started at the same time as Haknyeon only far less annoying, waving uncertainly at him. On the other side of the counter is Younghoon, red-faced and stiffly blinking up at Chanhee.

Chanhee doesn’t waste any time and as soon as the popping cycles on the two kettles finish he splits his bucket of water between them to prevent them from burning and he leaves the popcorn to cool in the tray and runs around to the front to pull Younghoon slightly away from the queue.

“What are you here to see?” Chanhee asks.

Younghoon coughs and tugs at the cuffs of his coat. “I’m here to see you,” he says loudly so his voice carries. His face flushes redder and Changmin looks over with interest from where he serving his customers.

“Why would you come to see me?”

Younghoon sighs. “I am your very angry and jealous boyfriend.”

“You’re such a liar. You said you wouldn’t do this when I asked you yesterday,” Chanhee grins. He folds his arms across his chest and Younghoon looks away awkwardly.

“Where is the kid? I’ll tell him to leave you alone. Are you happy?”

Chanhee is very happy. His roommate really is a good person and Chanhee will pay him back somehow. But even Chanhee flinches at the throat clearing behind his back. He whirls around and Changmin siles gently.

“Are you talking about Haknyeon?” He asks quietly. “He’s on his break right now. He should be back down in fifteen.”

“You know how you love me,” Chanhee begins slowly. Younghoon huffs and shoves his hands into his pockets.

“I’ll wait if that’s what you want.”

Younghoon, the best roommate ever, waits in the foyer while being very handsome and chic about it. Chanhee meanders around and tries not to get caught not doing anything until he realises that Changmin too easily realised that Younghoon came to see Haknyeon. Chanhee catches Changmin by the elbow when his queue empties but things don’t become any clearer.

“What has Haknyeon been talking to you about?”

Changmin’s eyes widen and he sputters a bit. It is admission enough that Haknyeon has been entirely unable to keep his big fat mouth shut.

“Nothing!” Changmin squeaks. “I just guessed that your, uh, your boyfriend would want to talk to him.”

“But you know it can’t be anything good, so why are you helping us out?” Chanhee asks.

“It isn’t going to be good if Haknyeon keeps getting upset by you. He likes you a lot but you have a boyfriend so he should give up, right?”

There is something about Changmin’s voice which suggests he knows that Younghoon isn’t Chanhee’s boyfriend. He doesn’t say anything specific but Chanhee can’t bring himself to ask  to clarify just in case Changmin reveals some plan to expose him. There is something about Haknyeon which seems to be the same when he comes down from his break and walks right into Younghoon.

“Oh, hi,” Haknyeon says, recognition flickering across his face before Chanhee makes it to supervise the entire interaction.

“I’m Chanhee’s boyfriend,” Younghoon says.

“Oh,” Haknyeon says. He blinks up apprehensively at Younghoon and almost smiles at Chanhee when he arrives to stand between them. “You said that you weren’t looking for a relationship.”

Younghoon looks alarmed and prods at Chanhee’s arm unhelpfully.

“Because I already have a boyfriend,” Chanhee says. “So I guess there is no point in being in love with me. Sorry.”

The fight in Haknyeon’s eyes wilts and Chanhee thinks that this is for the best. He could force the issue and pick apart the shoddy cover Chanhee begged for but he doesn’t instead. He shrugs and looks expectantly at Chanhee.

“Nothing is going to happen between you and Chanhee,” Younghoon says quietly.

“I guess that’s it then,” Haknyeon says, the wobble in his voice making Chanhee’s resolve buckle. “I get it. I’m sorry for bothering you. I’ll leave you alone.”

“It’s not that you’re a bother,” Chanhee says quickly. “You’re a good kid but I’m just not interested. But please don’t be too sad. Maybe we can be friends instead. Does that sound good to you?”

Chanhee ignores the betrayed look Younghoon shoots him and wonders whether he should appeal to Haknyeon’s romantic side by labelling this alternative as fate. He just knows that he deserves it when Haknyeon says, “I am still going to be very sad. Maybe someone will love me one day.”

Younghoon groans, pity making him cower and Chanhee hopes he won’t cave too easily if he must spend long periods of time with Haknyeon by some sort of coincidence.

 


End file.
